EC Wear is offering our readers a giveaway of some great, EC-friendly clothing: a pair of L’il Baby Chaps and a Diaper Belt, a value of $28.

L’il Baby Chaps are split pants with an open design that allows babies and toddlers to potty quickly and easily, and caregivers to notice when a diaper is wet so they can change it without a hassle. Diaper belts are designed to hold a prefold in place while still allowing easy access for diaper changes and potty visits.

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When my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter was born, I knew I wanted to practice elimination communication (“EC”) with her from the very start. What I didn’t know was how much of a hassle it would be to remove and replace a cloth diaper every single time she needed to pee — especially given her sincere distaste for being diapered at all. I was determined to stick with it, but wasn’t quite ready to ditch the diapers altogether, so I started researching solutions. Enter EC Wear, an online shop selling EC friendly apparel, where I found some cute infant training pants to try. Not only did I end up loving the trainers, but I was so happy with the shop and its friendly and knowledgeable owner, Marija, that I couldn’t wait to place another order and try out a new diapering solution or two. I was thrilled to know that EC Wear is owned and operated by a mom not unlike myself, and that she makes a special effort to source products that are responsibly produced and fairly traded.

I recently had my second child, Elliot, and so my relationship with EC Wear continues. I was thrilled when Marija offered to send me a tiny pair of L’il Baby Chaps and a diaper belt to try out in Elliot’s early days. I had them washed and ready to wear before he even arrived. Because he turned out to be a tiny guy, born at less than six and a half pounds, his new gear is still a bit on the large side, but it has still come in very handy. While his pants have to be rolled up for now, it’s nice to know we’ll likely get a full six months of use out of them, at least.

L’il Baby Chaps

Sporting a fitted diaper underneath his chaps

L’il Baby Chaps are a clever clothing solution for ECing babies, designed by Marija herself and hand made in New York. These pants can be worn with any style of diaper or trainer on top or underneath, or with no diaper at all. The design allows for quick and easy potty access as well as diaper changes after a miss. Because I don’t want my babies to get used to feeling wet, I try to change them just as soon as they pee, but this can be difficult when they’re fully clothed, since a good bit of time can pass before I notice a wet diaper. With L’il Baby Chaps, I can see and feel a wet diaper just as easily as when my baby is wearing no clothing at all.

I found that my favorite way to use L’il Baby Chaps was with a prefold tucked into the waistband. The trifolded diaper is thick enough to absorb everything if I miss a pee and, used without a cover, it allows me to notice wetness right away. I also tried them with a fitted diaper underneath, which worked great as well. I was still able to notice moisture right away, and the opening of the pants made it easy for me to access the snaps and remove the diaper without having to take the pants themselves off. Elliot seemed very grateful to have his legs covered and kept warm during diaper changes and visits to the sometimes chilly bathroom when I took him for a pee. When we had to run out of the house, I just put a diaper cover on top to make his diaper waterproof, and off we went!

I’m not quite confident enough in my awareness of two-week-old Elliot’s cues to go completely diaper free, but I know I’ll be even more grateful for these pants when we get to that point. They’ll give him the opportunity to air out a bit while still keeping warm. They’ll also come in handy when he masters crawling, as they’ll be able to protect his knees, with or without a diaper.

The only downside I see with these pants is that they’re very conspicuous. The large opening, while perfect for easy diaper access and for pottying without the risk of wetting or soiling the pants, makes these look quite obviously different from ordinary pants. Some would see this as a fantastic conversation starter, but I’m a bit shy when it comes to my less conventional parenting choices and prefer not to advertise our different-ness (except, apparently, on the internet). Personally, I love them for at-home use, but I don’t think I’d dress my son in his L’il Baby Chaps on a day that I plan to be out and about.

Diaper Belt

An evening at home with the prefold belt.His prefolds are still a bit large!

When it comes to EC-friendly diapering options, diaper belts, also called prefold belts, are about as cheap and simple as it gets. They’re made of elastic wrapped in soft and cozy cotton, fleece, or wool and go around your baby’s waist much like the band on a pair of pants would. They’re perfect for tucking a prefold into, as they hold the diaper on and allow you to easily remove it when wet, or when it’s time to visit the potty.

I had used a prefold belt with my firstborn, but not until she was much older. I can’t say enough how handy it is with a newborn. Elliot finds the idea of being put down very offensive, so diaper changes are less than pleasant for both of us. Using the prefold belt when we’re home allows me to quickly change or potty him while keeping him in arms the whole time. When the L’il Baby Chaps are in the wash, or it’s warm enough in the house to forgo pants, it’s just about all I use.

My only problem with diaper belts in the past was that they merely covered the, er, exits, but often allowed that fast-moving breastfed baby poop to escape out the sides. Over the years, however, I have grown smarter than the prefold and with Elliot I found that I could open up the back of the diaper and bring it around his hips, which ends up creating a gusset around his legs that holds the more viscous liquids in. Problem solved!

While diaper belts are fantastic for at-home use, I don’t find that they’re particularly practical out of the house. They don’t give quite as much coverage as other diapering options, so I always feel like my baby is a bit exposed. Even so, they’re inexpensive enough to make them worth having around for any ECing family. Even those who don’t wish to practice EC might find them useful with a prefold as a once-in-awhile diapering solution for a baby or toddler suffering from diaper rash, as they’ll catch what you need them to catch while allowing the type of air flow that promotes healing.

EC Wear offers a variety of diapering options and clothing choices that can make EC super easy, and the L’il Baby Chaps and diaper belts are no exception. I know I will continue to use both items with my son until he grows out of them, or is ready to go completely diaper-free.

BUY IT!

You can purchase L’il Baby Chaps or a Diaper Belt of your own at EC Wear. L’il Baby Chaps retail at $18 per pair and Diaper Belts range from $8 to $12 each depending on which type you choose. EC Wear ships worldwide via USPS, but you can cut out the middle man and pick up locally if you live in the tri-state area.

And just for Natural Parents Network and Vibrant Wanderings readers, EC Wear is giving a 10% discount on all orders from now through September 8. Enter code NaturalParents during the ordering process.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a pair of L’il Baby Chaps and a Diaper Belt from EC Wear, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below.

The winner will receive a pair of L’il Baby Chaps in any in-stock size, color, and material. Contest is open Worldwide.

MANDATORY ENTRY:Visit EC Wear and tell us one thing you learned about the company! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on this blog post.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries.

This is a joint giveaway with Vibrant Wanderings and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we’ll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites!

BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!

Disclosure: Our reviewer received a sample product for review purposes.
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Information About Our Reviewer:

Melissa is mother to a vibrant and curious toddler and a cuddly newborn. She blogs about gentle parenting, Montessori, EC, veganism, and much more at Vibrant Wanderings, and is a regular writer here at NPN.